The Solora Crusade
A brutal and disastrous crusade by the Order of the Lady of Paladins against the primitive Solori barbarians. This nine-year conflict has damaged the Church's reputation in the Kingdom of Melderyn, leading to a serious division in the Church. It may have fatally weakened the Solori barbarian nation.
714TR - Larani and Peoni missionaries from Melderyn administering to the primitive Solori Barbarians in the Nuem Valley were tortured and murdered in what is believed to be an unprovoked attack by Solori barbarians.
717TR - A squadron of Lady of Paladin knights patrolling the disputed region of the Solora forest, near where the missionaries were massacred, was ambushed; all were killed, and it was reported that their bodies were desecrated. One of the dead was the son of the Chabla (Grandmaster) of the Lady of Paladins, Sir Enyel Trenoul. This incident sparked the infamous Solora Crusade.
Grandmaster Sir Enyel Trenoul launched a series of reprisals against the tribesmen, which became increasingly brutal, drawing much criticism from both within and outside the Order.
719TR – The campaign turned into what critics claim to be a war of annihilation; the Chabla calls knights from the Kingdoms of Kaldor and Chybisa to join the Crusade. To his frustration, the Kaldorian contingent was small and only comprised volunteers. The Knight Commander of the Kaldorian chapter, Sir Houla Artona, refuses to commit officially.
720TR - Sir Enyel Trenoul ignores the pleas of the Hârnic Lirrath (Larani Primate) Kerthede Talvail to end the conflict. Word of the Crusade also reaches the Abbot of Tengela (the Laranian pontiff) in the Kingdom of Trierzon. He also instructs his emissary in Melderyn to pressure the indecisive Lirrath to end the conflict. However, the envoy seems more interested in the Church's wine cellars.
722TR – The Crusade is not going well; the Solori hit-and-run tactics in the densely forested Solora region and their use of underhanded ambushes, poison, and allegedly back magic take their toll on the Crusaders. However, several villages of barbarians are butchered.
Furthermore, King Chunel Toron of Melderyn is concerned that the Crusade is getting out of hand and instructs his sheriffs and vassals to offer no aid to the Crusade. This is intended to convey the King's displeasure; however, the Chabla ignores it or is oblivious.
724TR – After years of frustrating, inconclusive engagements, the Crusaders changed tactics, mounting a seaborne assault from the north and a land army drive from the south, catching several tribes by surprise. The pincer attack gave the Crusaders significant victories, potentially fatally weakening the Solori.
The conflict continued; however, the Lady of Paladins had insufficient resources to finish the job. The Chabla demanded that the Kaldorian chapter commit a sizable force to the Crusade. The Knight Commander, Sir Houla Artona, faced with the ultimatum, must decide to obey the grandmaster and officially join the Crusade or be named heretic.
725TR – The Larani Pontiff becomes increasingly frustrated with the lack of response by the Lirrath and assigns a new envoy, Sir Thorweald Alhburg, "To sort out the disaster." The Solori change tactics and, for their survival, avoid all conflict except where they have no choice or can win without risks. However, their remaining villages are weakened, and many tribesmen starve during the long, hard winter. Rumors of cannibalism are rife.
726TR – Sir Thorweald arrives in Melderyn and meets with King Churnel and the Lirrath, stiffening her resolve. Meanwhile, the Kaldorian chapter of the Lady of Paladins officially defies the orders of the Chabla to supply reinforcements. It splits from the Order, forming the Knights of Redemption.
It gets worse for the furious Sir Enyel; the Lirrath instructs him to end the Crusade immediately, but he refuses. "Victory is at hand; one more push, and we will destroy the vermin." In an unprecedented step, the frustrated King Chunel Toron intervenes and sends his sheriffs to seize half a dozen vassal manors from Chundras and Fosumo keeps. He makes it clear that the Order will forfeit all remaining holdings if the Crusade continues.
Panicked, the senior commanders of the Order rebelled against the Chabla and called for a vote of no-confidence. Rather than face this ignominy, Sir Enyel resigns and retires to an outlying manor with his closest supporters, and the Crusade officially ends.
Meanwhile, the devastated Solori tribes may not have the population numbers or the strength to keep their nation intact. In the long term, the Crusade may have achieved its goal of driving them on the path to extinction. However, the survivors will attempt to recover and then seek revenge.
Order of the Lady of Paladins
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